Indiana man gets 40 years in 1-year-old son’s fatal shooting
A northern Indiana man was sentenced to 40 years in prison on child neglect charges stemming from the shooting death of his 1-year-old son by the boy’s 4-year-old sibling.
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Former Vincennes police chief arrested for stealing from department, wife arrested for theft of prescription drugs
Former Vincennes Police Department Chief Dustin Luking was arrested on multiple felony charges Wednesday for allegedly stealing thousands of dollars from an evidence vault for personal use. Also today, Bethany J. Shelton Luking, Dustin’s wife, was arrested for allegedly stealing prescription medication from her employer, a senior center in Vincennes.
US overdose deaths hit record 107,000 last year, CDC says
More than 107,000 Americans died of drug overdoses last year, setting another tragic record in the nation’s escalating overdose epidemic, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated Wednesday.
Reversal: Same name not sufficient evidence for serious violent felon conviction
A Decatur County man facing an aggregate sentence of 30 years had his Level 4 felony conviction overturned after the Court of Appeals of Indiana ruled that a defendant having the same name as a person convicted in a previous drug case was not enough to sustain a conviction as a serious violent felon.
Man convicted of neglect in South Bend boy’s shooting death
A South Bend man has been convicted of child neglect charges stemming from the shooting death of his 1-year-old son by a 4-year-old sibling.
Indiana Democrats push for marijuana legalization in statewide tour
Marijuana legalization is coming to the forefront of the Indiana Democratic Party’s 2022 platform.
EXPLAINER: Where do US opioid trials, settlements stand?
The effort to hold drug companies, pharmacies and distributors accountable for their role in the opioid crisis has led to a whirlwind of legal activity around the U.S. that can be difficult keep tabs on.
NW Indiana man pleads guilty to role in 2019 double-slaying
A northwest Indiana man has pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and other charges for his role in the killings of two teenagers fatally shot during a drug-related robbery.
COA: Trial court didn’t properly instruct jury in drug-induced homicide case
A trial court’s erroneous decision to reject a defendant’s proposed preliminary instructions has led to the reversal of the defendant’s drug dealing conviction. But the Court of Appeals of Indiana left open the possibility of a retrial due to other significant evidence, including evidence of text messages sent and received by a man who died of a drug overdose.
States look for solutions as fentanyl deaths keep rising
As the addiction and overdose crisis that has gripped the United States for two decades turns even deadlier, state governments are scrambling for ways to stem the destruction wrought by fentanyl and other synthetic opioids.
Latin Kings leaders lose appeals of convictions, life sentences
A pair of northern Indiana gang leaders who were sentenced to life in prison for their roles in gang-related murders and drug activity have failed in their challenges to their convictions and sentences at the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals.
COA: Trial court harmlessly erred in denying direct questioning of prospective jurors
A St. Joseph County man convicted of involuntary slaughter for a drug deal gone wrong should have been permitted to directly question prospective jurors, but that error was ultimately harmless, the Court of Appeals of Indiana has ruled.
Mother’s neglect of dependent resulting in death conviction upheld
A woman convicted of felony neglect of a dependent resulting in death after she left her infant son in the care of his father, who she knew had previously expressed thoughts of harming the child, did not find relief from the Court of Appeals of Indiana.
COA upholds drug-related convictions in objection of evidence dispute
A Beech Grove man convicted on several drug counts who originally stated that he had no objection to the admission of evidence found during a search of his car did not sway the Court of Appeals of Indiana that the same evidence should be now be suppressed.
Confusion, dismay over decision to close Family Recovery Court
The Marion Superior Court Executive Committee has announced the family recovery court, which started in 2010, will be closing at the end of the month. Dwindling participation along with concerns about how the program was being operated have been cited as among the reasons for the decision to stop. But stakeholders and graduates say the closure will have a devastating impact, rippling beyond the participants to their children and extended family members.
Purdue Pharma deal has families deflated, angry but hopeful
For those who lost loved ones in the opioid crisis, making sure the family behind OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma paid a price was never just about money. What many wanted was a chance to confront the Sackler family face to face, to make them feel their pain. While some may get that chance — at least by video — under a tentative settlement reached Thursday that also would force the Sacklers to pay out billions, the families still are coming away feeling empty, conflicted and angry yet again.
Drug offender to get new sentencing hearing after trial court sentencing error
An Indiana man had his rights infringed upon when a trial court denied his request to be physically present during his sentencing hearing, the Court of Appeals of Indiana has affirmed.
Drug offender wrongfully placed in DOC instead of county jail, COA rules
A trial court abused its discretion when it ordered a man to spend 1½ years in the Indiana Department of Correction for Level 6 felony drug possession charges, the Court of Appeals of Indiana has affirmed.
7th Circuit reverses 16-year drug sentence, finds district court relied on unsubstantiated allegations
Finding federal prosecutors failed to present any evidence to support the allegation that Edward Gibbs confessed to conspiring to distribute 4.5 kilograms of crystal meth, the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals overturned his 16-plus-year sentence and remanded for resentencing at a lower offense level.
COA: No error in failure to preserve syringe for jury trial examination
A man was not denied due process when a syringe found in his car was not preserved for examination during a jury trial against him, the Court of Appeals of Indiana has ruled.